• UN Security Council unanimously voted to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
• The US has removed al-Sharaa from its Specially Designated Global Terrorist list.
• Al-Sharaa is scheduled to meet President Trump, marking the first visit by a Syrian leader to the White House.
• This decision aims to aid Syria's reconstruction and economic integration post-civil war.
• Al-Sharaa described the sanctions lifting as a positive step for Syria's international relations.

On Thursday, the UN Security Council adopted a US-backed resolution to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab, receiving 14 votes in favor and one abstention from China. Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli welcomed this decision, expressing hopes that it would facilitate Syria’s reintegration into the international community, stating, “We will continue to support this...,” according to aa.

President al-Sharaa commended the UN's decision, calling it a “step in the right direction,” and hoped it would resolve many global issues, identifying support from countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar as vital. He also noted, “It’s unreasonable for a head of state to remain sanctioned...,” reflecting optimism for Syria’s future, according to aa and indiatimes.

Concurrently, the US announced the removal of al-Sharaa from its Specially Designated Global Terrorist sanctions list. The Treasury Department stated that this action recognizes the significant progress made by his administration following the ousting of former leader Bashar al-Assad. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott noted that al-Sharaa’s government is fulfilling US demands concerning terrorism and chemical weapons, according to aa and abcnews.

This shift in policy represents a pivotal moment in US-Syria relations, especially with al-Sharaa set to meet President Trump next week, making history as the first Syrian head of state to visit the White House. Trump’s administration has expressed intentions of supporting the new Syrian government to help rebuild and stabilize the country post-civil war, emphasizing the need for effective diplomacy, according to aljazeera and lemonde.